My Demons are the Best People

By Cybronica
Guest: a former voice teacher of mine, extracted from a 2015 lesson recording. She’s fairly famous in the opera world, having taught a lot of singers who have gone on to have amazing careers, and she won the Met competition (one of the biggest opera competitions in the US) when she was in her 20’s. She is fascinating, both from the perspective of a young artist excited to learn from her, and looking back and realizing how terrified I was of her every time we interacted.

My demons are the best people
They know what’s good for me
I’d never stray, for such upheaval
Would wound me mightily

Their tongues are sharp as teeth and claws
With words that curdle in their jaws

My demons have what’s best for me at heart
They can’t help it if their words tear me apart
If I don’t succeed, I know it’s my own fault
Cause I wasn’t strong enough to follow through with what they taught

My demons fight amongst themselves
They rarely can agree
And I write down what each one tells
To study carefully

And each one wants me all alone
To listen just to them alone

My demons have what’s best for me at heart
They can’t help it if their words tear me apart
If I don’t succeed, I know it’s my own fault
Cause I wasn’t strong enough to follow through with what they taught